Mosiah's Moon (5) And you knew? That’s really sick! Why the hell did you keep it up? MARCUS Hey, it was never . . . up! DAVID I mean,. . . weren’t you afraid? MARCUS It was a trade-off for information. Besides, Rogers’ access to surgeons was cut off . . .until now. DAVID I’m not . . . MARCUS I know; you’re not that kind of of doctor. From what I’ve seen, you’re not any kind of doctor. DAVID You know? MARCUS Dr. Chandra? What kind of lame cover name is that? DAVID It wasn’t my idea. MARCUS Anyway, we’ve got worse problems to deal with. DAVID What can be worse than that? MARCUS They’re going to kill the both of us. Don’t stop; keep working. DAVID This why they call you Messiah? You . . .you save people? MARCUS No. They call me Mosiah because it happens to be my name. Marcus Mosiah Garvey. DAVID Oh, you’re a descendent then? MARCUS No. Why does everyone assume that? Was George Washington Carver, a descendent? My mother was a big fan that’s all. Hell, I should’ve had it changed a long time ago. Damn name’s brought me nothing but trouble. DAVID But the inmates . . . MARCUS Well, . . . sometimes it works for me. INT. SPACE STATION As McCurry and Phillip complete their inspection tour of the station, McCurry pauses to watch the shuttle crew unload supplies. In order to give the IRO agents a chance to steal their way on board, Phillip tries to divert his attention. PHILLIP Well, Senator, that’s the entire project. If you’d like to follow me, I can provide you with copies of those change orders now. Unexpectedly, McCurry glances back and sees the two agents boarding. McCURRY Where are they going, Captain? Is it time to leave? PHILLIP Routine physicals for the lunar crew. They’ll be back soon. McCURRY If they’re going to the moon, then I’m going with them. PHILLIP I’m afraid I can’t allow that, sir; you’re not cleared for the surface. McCurry Isn’t that why you came along? PHILLIP Senator . . . McCURRY Yes, . . . Captain? PHILLIP I just need to phone this in. INT. PYRAMID TOMBS Beth and Sal are wandering through the darkened catacombs when Beth suddenly screams. Sal shines his flashlight on her. SAL Your okay; it’s just a cobweb. BETH Shit Sal! Do you have any idea where we are going? SAL Here, let me help you. As Sal moves, he trips and pushes her against a wall. A trap door in the floor begins to open. When Sal starts to fall, he grabs Beth by the arm and the two plummet. As they fall, the trap door shuts tightly behind them. Sal hits the ground first. When Beth lands on top of him, there’s a sickening crunch. After a few moments, she regains her composure. BETH Just like a man! They’re going down, so they drag you right down with ‘em. (beat) Sal? Sal, . . . Are you okay? Beth fumbles around until she finds a flashlight. When she shines it on Sal, its clear his neck is broken. She feels for a pulse. Once she realizes he’s dead, she begins to cry. When she notices two of her nails are broken, she cries harder. BETH DAAAAVID! WHERE ARE YOU? INT. GIZA, SECRET BASE Phillip is conferencing with Brigs and Anderson. BRIGS By god, you just tell him no! ANDERSON He can’t tell a senator no? PHILLIP What if he finds out something? I can’t control him down there? BRIGS If he finds out anything, Phillip, you better not come back! ANDERSON Excellent idea, General. Once they land, retrieve the shuttle. PHILLIP What? . . .What do you mean? ANDERSON Calm down, Phillip. Remember, my guys are up there too. In the event we’re discovered, we’ll have some . . . options. PHILLIP Options, sir? Surely you don’t . . .? That means we’ll have . . . BRIGS One more body bag, Captain. INT. MOON CAVE David and Marcus are working and feeling each other out. MARCUS Well, do you know who this is? David looks up from the glyph, insulted. DAVID Of course. It's Thoth, the Egyptian moon god. MARCUS Not his Greek name, his real name. The Egyptians called him Djhowtey. David becomes hot under the collar and begins to speak in a terse manner. DAVID Creator of the universe and the inventor of writing, arithmetic, and astronomy. Also a god of the underworld, weighing the hearts of the dead against the Feather of Truth in the Hall of the Two Truths. His principal sanctuary was at Hermopolis, in the Nile delta region. In the Hellenistic period he was identified with the Greek god HERMES and later . . . Marcus laughs. MARCUS Okay, okay. You know who it is. So, what do you think, doctor? David leans against the wall and stares seriously at Marcus. DAVID Obviously, . . . Thoth was here, or someone who knew him. MARCUS Millions of years ago, ancient space travelers create a machine on the dark side of the moon, then travel to earth to . . . what? Test it out? DAVID And they meet Egyptians who quite naturally, think they're Gods. It explains why they never came back. MARCUS Why? DAVID "Been there, done that". MARCUS Done what? David smiles and returns to transcribing the hieroglyphics. DAVID “Turn dials toward sun?” What sun? We’re on the dark side of the moon here. MARCUS That’s not what it says. DAVID You're starting to piss me off. MARCUS Before I was arrested, I was a university professor. DAVID Look, reading lips is one thing; reading Sanskrit is quite another. (beat) I suppose you have degrees? MARCUS Geology, Chemistry, Geophysics. DAVID Fine. What’s it really say? MARCUS It says “turn toward sundials”. They turn and search the wall until they find two sundials, separated by a small icon of the sun. Each dial has a gnomon and a miniature triangle attached. David highbrows Marcus. MARCUS Synonymous communication. It’s a mark of higher intelligence. DAVID It’s just double-speak. MARCUS Double-speak isn’t a language, it’s a tool. It’s used by small brains to deceive even smaller brains. Synonymous speech is an extremely efficient method of communication. Unfortunately it’s far too advanced for most humans. They’re simply not able to think that far ahead. MARCUS Well, you sound like a teacher. (beat) So, why did you kill that Fed? Marcus turns back to the wall and continues transcribing. MARCUS He didn’t raise his hand before asking me a question. David stares hard at him. After a few moments, he slowly raises his hand. When Marcus sees this, he smiles and motions to the wall. MARCUS Turn dials toward sun. They each take a dial and begin to turn them slowly in the direction of the icon. Once the two triangles align together as one, the pyre begins to shake. The remaining inmates scatter as the rocks surrounding the pyre’s base begin to fall away, creating an chasm. After a few moments, the men walk to the edge of the newly created gorge and gaze down. The segment of triangle below ground is silver in color. A loud hum fills the air as that segment begins to turn yellow. Marcus takes radiation readings as Walker shouts to David. WALKER WHAT THE HELL’S HAPPENING? DAVID It’s oxidizing. Plutonium turns yellow once it’s exposed to air. MARCUS Radiation levels are increasing. As the change occurs, the triangle’s brilliance begins to illuminate the entire gorge, revealing a GARDEN PARADISE. WALKER TURN IT OFF! NOW! THIS PLACE IS OFF LIMITS UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE! As David and Marcus return the dials to their previous positions, the brilliance begins to dim and the gorge fades to black. INT. PYRAMID TOMBS Beth is carrying Sal’s backpack as she continues to find her way through the underground caverns. In the distance, she sees a bright light; she hurries toward it. As she nears, a hologram begins to surround her. Within seconds she finds herself standing in the same GARDEN PARADISE. Adorned with waterfalls and fruit trees, the site is so beautiful, tears form in her eyes. When the light starts to dim, Beth runs in several directions. Once the hologram fades, she finds herself standing in yet another, darkened catacomb. Tired, she drops to the ground and wipes her eyes with David’s shirt. She stares at it for a moment. BETH I miss you . . . pig. EXT. LUNAR SURFACE As McCurry, Phillip and the two agents make their way into the communication center, the shuttle plane departs. McCURRY Where the hell are they going? PHILLIP They’ll be back later. They don’t want to risk leaving the plane on the surface during the eclipse. McCURRY We’re stranded here until then? PHILLIP They’ll be back, once it’s over. Sensing a dual meaning, McCurry stares hard at Phillip. INT. GLOBAL NEWSROOM Pictures of solar eclipses are being shown in the background as a newscaster reports the evening news. REPORTER After refusing an 11th hour appeal to join the Federation, Argentina and several of her Latin American neighbors joined together instead, to openly protest the unexplained disappearances of international prisoners. To date, large segments of Africa, South America and Asia remain opposed to the Federation’s overtures of joint-sovereignty. On July 11th, 24 hours from now, a total solar eclipse will occur near the southern tip of Argentina. Four years ago, during a similar eclipse over Africa, residents of Egypt claimed the Sahara Desert turned into a tropical paradise. INT. DAVID’S ROOM Marcus and David are presiding over sick call while they talk. The two bandage a very large black inmate’s hand. MARCUS This is BAM BAM. He’s very strong. He can break rock with these hands. DAVID It looks like he did. Hello there, . . . Bam Bam. Bam’s stare unnerves David. Once they finish, he simply turns and walks from the room as another inmate enters. MARCUS Bam was one of Rogers’ first guinea pigs. He hasn’t spoken a word since. He’s very loyal, but very pissed off. DAVID I’ll bet. I noticed a very large supply of formaldehyde in the medicine cabinet. What’s it for? MARCUS Rogers likes to collect souvenirs. DAVID That’s fuckin’ sick! I can’t wait any longer . . . who is going to kill us? MARCUS You tell me; you work for him. DAVID Come on now! Why would Anderson want to have me killed? It just doesn't make any sense, unless, . . . Why that little faggot! MARCUS I knew they were never going to bring me back alive. As for you, I can’t really say. I know they don’t trust you. If I had to make a guess? We both know too much. DAVID Edgar said his career would be ruined if word leaked out. MARCUS Rogers wants to kill you too? DAVID Not Rogers, Anderson. I’ve got a theory about guys named Ed. You know, "Boys Club members"? MARCUS Wouldn’t it be much easier to say, “My boss made a pass at me”? DAVID No. I find that rather difficult. Marcus laughs as the next inmate steps up. MARCUS Theories must be based in fact. How much research have you done? DAVID None. You? MARCUS I specialize in bigotry. DAVID Are you calling me a bigot? MARCUS (laughing) Rogers isn't gay. DAVID Exactly how would you know that? MARCUS A gay man in favor of castration? Please. He's a deviate. So how long have you been homophobic? Embarrassed, David glares at the inmate smiling at him. DAVID What's your problem? MARCUS This is JESSE. He calls everyone Joe. Like alot of inmates, he’s got a rash; from sleeping without underwear. JESSE De blankets, de give us itch. David searches through the supplies, then pulls out a tube of cream. He hands it to Jesse. DAVID Here, this should help. You can put it on over there. (whispering to Marcus) So that’s why you don’t use the blankets? Look, I don’t believe everyone named Ed is gay, okay? What the hell are we gonna do? MARCUS Take over the prison, what else? When Jesse hands the tube back to David, he smiles at him. JESSE Say Joe, do jew haf any cue tips? Jew know, de ones dat are soft on de earlobes? DAVID Yes I do; here, take these. As David hands him the cue tips, Jesse continues to grin. DAVID What the hell are you smiling at? JESSE Me middle name es Edwardo? They both stare at Jesse as he swishes from the room. David raises an eyebrow to Marcus. EXT. COMMUNICATION STATION NIGHT As Phillip takes McCurry on a tour of the facility, on the opposite side, the agents furtively board a lunar rover. Within moments, they begin a slow drive toward the far side. INT. PYRAMID CATACOMBS In order to operate the satellite phone, Beth must select the correct button. Her choices are: SEARCH, CONTACT or RECEIVE. When she pushes SEARCH, a green light begins to blink. She smiles, puts the phone in her backpack and continues her search for a way out. Above ground, caravan members have initiated a search of the temple. INT. DAVID’S ROOM After escorting the last inmate out, David notices Marcus, mixing something in the lab. Checking the hallway first, he closes the door and moves over to the table. DAVID What is that? MARCUS Quiet! There’s not enough here for everyone. It’s isopropanol. DAVID Rubbing alcohol? You'll go blind. Marcus pulls a black and a white mineral from his pocket and lays them on the table. After dropping the white mineral into the bottom of a beaker, he crushes the black one on the table. After placing the grinds between two paper napkins, he places the napkin over the beaker and filters the alcohol through the paper. Once done, he shakes the mixture. He takes a sip and gasps; he hands it to David. MARCUS I lowered it’s molecular weight with . . . DAVID With salt and charcoal; minerals you palmed from the cave. David stares at the mixture before taking a sip. DAVID You got a degree in chemistry? MARCUS Yeah, but I’m out of practice. You might recognize it, though. It's called “te espero abajo”. DAVID “I’ll wait for you downstairs?” David takes a swig, then gasps. He hands it back to Marcus, who takes a swing, and gasps. As they talk, they continue to pass it back and forth. MARCUS Some translator you are. It means, “I’ll wait for you in the floor.” Are you sure you’re a Latino? DAVID Hey, you’re not the only one out of practice you know? You wanna tell me now how you survived being shot . . . thirteen times? MARCUS I used the security guard’s vest. Some students decided to protest Federation racism by taking over the administration building. It was thought, because of my name, that I would be the perfect one to try and talk them down, which I was in the process of doing when the security forces arrived. A soldier broke in and tried to shoot one of my kids. We fought, he lost and that’s all there was to it. I put on his vest and held off the Feds long enough for the students to get out. DAVID You held off the Feds? MARCUS Their cause needed a martyr. DAVID Their cause? Who are you trying to kid? MARCUS What do you mean? DAVID You said, “A soldier broke in and tried to shoot one of my kids”. Marcus stares hard as David taps the side of his head. DAVID Photographic memory. They weren’t just some students; they were you’re students . . . right? Marcus smiles sheepishly. MARCUS Well, my students kept holding protests and marches until they built me into a damn folk hero. DAVID That’s when Amnesty International stepped in and saved your ass? MARCUS That ain’t no lie. If it wasn’t for Beth Marshall, I’d be dead. DAVID My Beth did that? MARCUS You know her? As they finish off the mixture, they are feeling no pain. DAVID Hell yes! She’s my woman. MARCUS She’s fine. She never mentioned a husband, though. DAVID Why should she? What, did you speak to her? MARCUS Sort of. During my trial, I read her lips. David frowns and thinks for a moment. Then he leans so close to Marcus, their noses actually touch. DAVID Keep your damn eyes off my wife’s lips! MARCUS Well, excuse me. Wait a minute; she did mention someone. Would you be, “the pig”? David’s sways as he breaks into a broad grin. DAVID That’s right. MARCUS Oh really? When were you married? DAVID Just as soon as I get the hell outta here! MARCUS I suggest you clean up your act, then. DAVID Look, don’t you tell me . . . Marcus and David chill as Walker appears in the doorway. WALKER Movie time, Garvey. Doc, Rogers wants to see you. INT. PYRAMID TOMB Covered in cobwebs and dust, Beth unexpectedly trips over something on the ground. When she shines her flashlight on it, she discovers Sal’s dead body. Realizing she’s come full a circle, she takes the backpack off, drops down next to him and pulls out a water canteen. When she finds it empty, she pulls out another. BETH I'm out of water, Sal. Mind if I have yours? Why thank-you. You know, Sal, if you hadn’t dragged me into this hellhole, I might've mistaken you for a gentleman. As she takes a few sips from Sal’s canteen, she stares at the small antenna, sticking out the top of her backpack. BETH And while we’re on the subject, why’d you bring me here in the first place? To get me lost? I’ll bet that was the plan wasn’t it? Can’t answer me can ya? Well . . . at least tell me this, then? HOW IN THE HELL DO YOU WORK THIS FUCKIN PHONE? Beth is able to catch a brief glimpse of a rather large scorpion, crawling across Sal’s chest, when her flashlight begins to dim. She quickly grabs her bag and retrieves another one. Once she turns it on, the scorpion can no longer be seen. She jumps to her feet and begins backing up. BETH I see you brought a date? I’ve gotta be going now. I’ll find my own way out, . . . alone. (beat) Right! Get real Beth. I’ll see you in a few hours, Sal. She continues talking to herself as she feels her way along the walls. BETH A Caesar salad would go nice about now. What about a bath, Beth? No, I said a salad, with those lit-tle fuck-in’ crou-tons. Beth, you seem upset? Upset? Me? No. I just wish David would ANSWER HIS FUCKIN PHONE! Hey, do you kiss your mother with that mouth? My mother? Please, let’s not go there. Inside the backpack, a blue CONTACT light blinks. INT. ROGERS' OFFICE Inside the top desk drawer, on a portable phone, a blue CONTACT light blinks. Sitting at the desk, Rogers is video conferencing with Anderson.
Copyright © 1999 David Duane Fortner |